Tuyere support means for metallurgical vessels

ABSTRACT

A refractory lined metallurgical vessel for converting molten ferrous metal to steel and having at least one replaceable tuyere for allowing injection of oxygen and other gases through the molten metal. The tuyere includes a pair of concentric pipes which permits delivery of a first gas such as oxygen through the inner pipe and a shielding fluid such as propane through the outer pipe. The tuyere pipes are joined to each other and to the vessel by means of mating flanges which are secured by a quick release clamping band. In addition, a cover plate for the access opening in the center tuyere may be secured to a support flange by a similar clamping band.

United States Patent 1191 [111 3,868,096

Schempp Feb. 25, 1975 [5 TUYERE SUPPORT MEANS FOR 3,547,624 12/1970 Gray 266/41 METALLURGCAL VESSELS 3,706,549 12/1972 Knuppel et al. 266/35 X Primary Examiner-Gerald A. Dost Attorney, Agent, or F irmFred Wiviott [57] ABSTRACT molten ferrous metal to steel and having at least one replaceable tuyere for allowing injection of oxygen and other gases through the molten metal. The tuyere includes a pair of concentric pipes which permits delivery of a first gas such as oxygen through the inner pipe and a shielding fluid such as propane through the outer pipe. The tuyere pipes are joined to each other and to the vessel by means of mating flanges which are secured by a quick release clamping band. In addition, a cover plate for the access opening in the center tuyere may be secured to a support flange by a similar clamping band.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures [75] inventor: Eberhard G. Schempp, Pittsburgh,

[73] Assignee: Pennsylvania Engineering Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: June 21, 1973 [211 App]. No.: 372,329

[52] US. Cl. 266/35, 266/41 [51] Int. Cl. C21c 5/48 [58] Field of Search 266/35, 36 P, 41; 285/367 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 728,111 5/1903 Johnson 266/41 1,093,868 4/1914 Leighty 285/367 2,605,180 7/1952 Totzek 266/41 3,544,138 12/1970 Von Eiff 285/367 TUYERE SUPPORT MEANS FOR METALLURGICAL VESSELS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to tuyeres for metallurgical vessels and more particularly to quick release means for attachment of such tuyeres.

Converter vessels are employed for converting molten ferrous metal to steel by blowing process gases such as oxygen through the molten metal by means of tuyeres located in the bottom or side of the vessel. Because the vessel bottoms tend to wear faster than the remaining vessel refractory, such vessels are often provided removable bottom inserts.

These removable bottoms normally include tuyeres mounted on an insert bottom plate and extend upwardly through the refractory bottom structure. The tuyeres of bottom blown vessels may also comprise concentric pipes which permit the simultaneous injection of oxygen through the center pipe and a hydrocarbon containing shielding fluid such as propane, light oil or natural gas through the space between the pipes.

In spite of the use of shielding fluids, such tuyeres and their surrounding refractory linings are generally eroded at a rate faster than the refractory lining of the vessel itself. It is, therefore, often necessary to replace the vessel bottom several times during the life of the refractory lining of the vessel. Also, individual tuyeres may burn away at a faster rate than others. Other tuyeres may become blocked whereby the erosion pro cess is severely retarded or does not occur to any appreciable extent. It is therefore necessary in converter vessels having tuyeres disposed below the surface of the molten metal to periodicallymake measurements of tuyere length in order to determine whether individual tuyeres must be replaced,,closed off or whether an entire new bottom is required. As a result, tuyeres are often provided with access openings so that such length measurements may be taken. The covers for such access openings as well as the flanges which normally mount such tuyeres to a vessel bottom may include a plurality circumferentially spaced bolts which must be removed individually. This bolt removal for tuyere measurement or replacement is relatively time consuming during which the vessel must necessarily be kept out of operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to provide converter vessel tuyere mounting means.

It is the general object of the invention to provide a converter vessel with means to permit rapid tuyere replacement and length measurement.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description thereoftaken with the accompanying drawings. I

In general terms, the invention comprises a converter vessel having at least one tuyere which may be mounted to the vessel by means of a clamp ring which engages the peripheral edges of a flange on the tuyere and the vessel. A similar clamping ring may be employed to secure any additional tuyere pipes or access opening covers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a frontelevational view, partly in sectiomof a converter vessel. having tuyeres according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional viewof a tuyere according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A converter vessel 10 is shown in FIG. 1 to include a metallic shell 11 and a refractory lining 12. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, converter vessels of the type illustrated are generally supported in a conventional manner on a trunnion ring 13 which has a trunnion pin 14 extending from each of its opposite sides. The trunnion pins 14 are suitably supported in a well known manner on bearing structures (not shown) and are coupled to a suitable drive mechanism (not shown) for tilting vessel 10 to each of a plurality of positions as may be required during a process cycle. A smoke hood 15 may be disposed above the open upper end of a vessel 10 when the latter is in its vertical position as shown in FIG. 1 to prevent the discharge of pollutants during operation of the vessel.

The vessel 10 has a removable refractory bottom 16 which may be attached to the vessel 10 in any suitable manner. In the illustrated embodiment. for example, bottom 16 may be provided with a flange 17 for being suitably attached by a plurality of bolts 18 to a mating flange 22 on vessel shell 10. The bottom [6 may include a bottom plate I9 for supporting a plurality of tuyeres 21 which extend through openings 20 in the refractory bottom 16. The tuyeres 21 each includes an inner pipe (not seen in FIG. 1) adapted to be connected to a source of oxygen containing gas through a first delivery pipe 24. An outer tuyere pipe 30 adapted to be connected through delivery pipe 27 to a suitable source of a shielding fluid such as propane, natural gas or light oil. Normally oxygen will be blown into the molten metal in vessel 10 during at least a portion of the process cycle to oxidize carbon, silicon, phosphorous and other impurities while the shielding gas will be blown through outer tuyere pipe 30 to prolong the life of the refractory 16.

The tuyere assembly 21 is shown more particularly in FIG. 2 to include an outer tuyere pipe 30 and an inner concentric tuyere pipe 31. The outer tuyere pipe 30 is formed in two sections 30a and 30b which are coaxially secured in a circular opening 33 formed in an annular flange member 34. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that pipe sections 30a and 30b may be affixed to member 34 in any suitable manner such as by welding. Suitable flanges 35 and 36 may be respectively secured to the outer tuyere pipe section 30b and inner tuyere pipe 31 for securing the same to each other and to a third flange 37 affixed to pipe section 38 which couples the inner tuyere pipe 31 to air delivery pipe 24. Flanges 35, 36, and 37 are secured by quick release means 39 according to the invention as will be discussed more fully below.

The inside diameters of tuyere pipe sections 30a and 30b are larger than the outside diameter of the concentrically arranged inner tuyere pipe 31 to provide a gap 41 therebetween for the delivery of shielding fluid in a sheath around the oxygen to be provided through inner pipe 31. Suitable spacers such as fins (not shown) may be provided to maintain the desired spacing between pipes and 31 and to deiinesgap 41. An internally threaded nipple 42may be secured, to outer tuyere pipe section 3012 and around an opening 44 therein for resary' to replace either an individual tuyere 2l'or the entire bottomassemblyfilfialongwith its associated tnyeres. ln either event, the tuyeres can berapidly disceiving the threaded end of apipe 45 whoseother end i is connected to shielding gas delivery pipe 27. A suit v able gasket 46 maybeprovided between flanges35 and 36 to seal the outer end of gap 41 and a second gasket connected from the oxygenipipe 55 by the removal of the quick release clamp 39 and from the vessel by re-[ 'moval of clamp 52. It will be appreciated thatsuch re 7 movaloperation will be substantially more rapid than 47 maybe provided to seal the junction between :1

flanges 36and 37. V l I a The tuyere assembly 21 maybe supported on a short tubular section 48 which is secured at one end within an annular recess 49 formed in surrounding relation to an opening 50 formed in plate 19. An annularflange 51 is affixed to the other" end of tubular member 48 and to which the flange 34 may be suitably affixed by the clamping means 52 according to therinvention as will be discussed more fully below.

The oxygen pipe 38 may have an elbow SSaffixed to 7 shown and described; his not, intended tolberlimited 'flanges, V e

prior art methods which employeda plurality ofboltsm for coupling 'and uncoupling :ea ch offthe various,

While only a single embodiment offlthe invention is 7 thereby but onlybythe scope of thelappended claims.

its end remote from tuyere assembly 21. Anaccess V opening 58-may be formed in elbow 55in a coaxial relation to the inner tuyerepipe 41. A tubular section 58 is affixed/to pipe 55 and in surrounding relation to 7 opening 56 and has a'radially extending flange 60 at its outertend. A cover plate 61 maybe secured toflange 60 by means of a quick release clamp 63 a'ccording to the invention. a r

' extending therefrom morerernote from said vessel, tu ye're support means fastened to said vesseland having an aperture through which said first'pipe meansexten'd and'having radially "extending flange means adjacent L a The quick release attachment means 39", 52 and 63 V are identical except for their dimensions and, accord ingly, only member 63 will bediscussed in detail, for the sake of brevityJWith referencegto FIGS. 3 and 4,

the clamp member 63 comprisesa pair of resilient gen erally C-shape d' members 65 each having one end fingers 68 disposed at the other. A bolt70 extends throughaligned openings in fingers 68 and isf secured by a nut 7l-. As seen particularly inFlG. 4, each of the,

members:65lis generally U-shaped in transverse cross section with its sides extending outwardly at a s-lightob-* lique angle; lnadditionythe interior dimension of the base t-73jofeach member 65' preferably slightly smaller than the combined width oftheflarigesfitl and' V 61; lnTassembly, the plate 61 is placed againstthe flange 60 and the clamping ringf63 is placedthere-g around after which the bolt 70 isinserted through the V openings in'finger 68.;This will position the members i '65 in the dashed position shown in FIG, 4 with the base 73 disposed away from the peripheral surfaces ofrlangei l a hinged to the other by a hinge; 66Vanda pair of opposed t Ic'laimy' e 1. A refractory linedlmetallurgical vessel having, at

least one tuyere means for conducting fluidic materials into said vessel, said tuyere means comprising a first pipe and asecond pipeextending through said, flrstpipe V ,7 and in, spaced relationship therewith, said pipes extending from the exterior to the interior ofsaidvessel; said first pipe having first flangemeansextending therefrom in proximity with saidcvesselandsecond flange means,

said first fla'ngemeans, on said'first pipe, said secondr pipehaving flange means adjacent said secondflange means on said :firstpipe, clamping means for respectively clamping saidv first flange means to'said tuyere support flange means'andsaidsecond flange means on said first pipe to said fl angemeanson said second pipe,

said clamping means comprising arcuate imembershaw ing meansforengagingeach other-;atcorresponding "t;

Lends, :me'ans at corresponding, opposed ends of said. 7 members for selectively'forcingsaid, members toward each other; said members having a base for surroundingfthe peripheryfof said; 'flan'gemeansand axiallyi *spaced apart oppositely divergentradially inwardly ex; I

60 and plate 61. As the bolt 71 is tightened, the membars 65 will be drawn radially inwardly from their position, shown by dashed lines infrFlGr4 to the position shown byrfull lines. Because the inner dimension'of 60 and plate 61 and as a result of the outwardly spread configuration of sides 72,a wedging action occurs to, forcetheplate 61 tightly against flange60, The plate fil mayr of course. be disassembled from flange 69 by V the removal ofa single bolt'ltl. it will, therefore, be appreciated that each of the clamping ring assemblies 52,

'39 and 63 may be rapidlyremovedto'facilitate tuyere ,;base 73 is 'srnaller'than the combined width offlanges V means adjacent said flange means on said second pipe;

one of said clamping meanssimultaneously engaging said: second flange means ongsaidfirst pipe, said flange fmeans on said second pipe and said ,flangemeans on said feed pipenand means for pro'vidingaccess to the V interioroftsaid second tuyere pipe, said last named;

1 means comprising atubular member mounted on said stantially aligned with the interior of said second tuyere t pipe,-apertured flange meanson said tubular member feedpipe means and providing an opening thatis suband havingaxially spaced apart surfaces insubstantial servicing operations. For example, with respect to plate 61, it is periodicallynecessary to measure the length of tuyere 30 as a result oithecontinuitlburnbuck thereof,

fund of the surrounding refractoryduring operation.

Such measurements are facilitated by the rapidpre moval andreplacement of plate 61 permitted by the,

quick release clamp ,filllyAlso' when tuyerej Zl has burned'away to a sufficient degree, it becomes neces parallelism with each other and extending radially from i said tubular member, enclosure plate'means having a surface for interfacing withone of said surfaces on the tubularmemberflange means andanothersurface in V parallelism therewith, all of said ,parallelsurfaces lying in planes that are perpendicular to thelaxis of said tubu' -J iar member, anda'dditional clamping means for press I ingsaid last "named flangemeans and the interfacing surface of saidclosure plate toward eachother, said clamping means including pivotallyconnected arcuate members which in cross section comprise a base for w'edgingsaid flange means andsaid another surface tosurrounding the peripheries of said tubular member ward each other, and means clamping said arcuate flange means and said another surface and oppositely members together.

divergent radially inwardly extending surfaces for 

1. A refractory lined metallurgical vessel having at least one tuyeRe means for conducting fluidic materials into said vessel, said tuyere means comprising a first pipe and a second pipe extending through said first pipe and in spaced relationship therewith, said pipes extending from the exterior to the interior of said vessel, said first pipe having first flange means extending therefrom in proximity with said vessel and second flange means extending therefrom more remote from said vessel, tuyere support means fastened to said vessel and having an aperture through which said first pipe means extend and having radially extending flange means adjacent said first flange means on said first pipe, said second pipe having flange means adjacent said second flange means on said first pipe, clamping means for respectively clamping said first flange means to said tuyere support flange means and said second flange means on said first pipe to said flange means on said second pipe, said clamping means comprising arcuate members having means for engaging each other at corresponding ends, means at corresponding opposed ends of said members for selectively forcing said members toward each other, said members having a base for surrounding the periphery of said flange means and axially spaced apart oppositely divergent radially inwardly extending surfaces to enable engaging only the peripheral edges of adjacent flange means to wedge said adjacent means toward each other, means coupled with said first pipe for conducting fluidic material to the space between said first and second pipes and feed pipe means coupled with said second pipe for conducting fluidic material into it, said feed pipe means comprising flange means adjacent said flange means on said second pipe, one of said clamping means simultaneously engaging said second flange means on said first pipe, said flange means on said second pipe and said flange means on said feed pipe, and means for providing access to the interior of said second tuyere pipe, said last named means comprising a tubular member mounted on said feed pipe means and providing an opening that is substantially aligned with the interior of said second tuyere pipe, apertured flange means on said tubular member and having axially spaced apart surfaces in substantial parallelism with each other and extending radially from said tubular member, enclosure plate means having a surface for interfacing with one of said surfaces on the tubular member flange means and another surface in parallelism therewith, all of said parallel surfaces lying in planes that are perpendicular to the axis of said tubular member, and additional clamping means for pressing said last named flange means and the interfacing surface of said closure plate toward each other, said clamping means including pivotally connected arcuate members which in cross section comprise a base for surrounding the peripheries of said tubular member flange means and said another surface and oppositely divergent radially inwardly extending surfaces for wedging said flange means and said another surface toward each other, and means clamping said arcuate members together. 